Improvement in game apparatus



Patented Jan. 19,1875.

' INVENTOR A'itorneys y M T a m l l M a m D. m A m w 0 W F m a G w WITNESSES pitch, wherein a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRIEND W. SMITH, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN GAME APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 158,991, dated January 19, 1875; application filed August 6, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRIEND W. SMITH, of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and in p the State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a game of toss or series of vertical pins are placed upon a portable base, and a ring or rings are used in connection therewith, to be pitched or tossed to encircle the pins. My invention relates more especially to an improvement upon the game as patented to me December 23, 1873, No. 145,914; and consists in the construction of the rings and the material of which the ring is made, as hereinafter set forth.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the portable base, with the openings therein for the insertion of the pins, and with one (the central) pin inserted. Fig. 2 represents a section of the ring.

lrior to the existence of my patent above referred to, there was no means devised in the use of a game of pitch or toss of this character to prevent the marring of the base-board by the rings striking the same, and indenting or scratching off the paint, or otherwise spoiling the neat appearance of the base.

My present invention is intended to avoid the marring of either the base, the surrounding furniture, or the pins themselves; and also to avoid the noise consequent in playing by the striking of the pins or base-board with the rings.

In the annexed drawings, A represents the base-board, which is preferably made round, and is provided with a series of, say, ten, openings, a, arranged in triangular form, into which the pins B are inserted.

This base-board and pins are usually made of wood, and neatly finished by painting, oiling, varnishing, or otherwise; but they may e made of any suitable material, such as papz'er-mach, vulcanized rubber, &c.

C represents the ring, which is used to be pitched from any proper distance to encircle The pins are numbered any one of the pins.

either upon their surfaces, or upon the board A at the base of the pins. The rings 0 are also numbered or lettered upon either one or both faces, and are constructed of a composition of materials the main element of which is india-rubber or gutta-percha. This composition of materials is composed of rubber or gutta-percha combined with litharge, soapstone, sulphur, or other well-known equivalent ingredients, designed to give weight and substance, ductility and hardness, and to avoid its being too pliable or elastic.

The rings, if made wholly of rubber or gutta-percha, would not be sufficiently hard and heavy, and would be too elastic for. the purposes designed.

The ring is molded or otherwise made with its upper and lower surfaces fiat, and with its outer edges rounded, as shown.

This construction of ring affords a better grasp for the operator, and when thrown will fall more correctly into position; will not indent or mar the base or the pins by its edges striking the same; will make a very imperceptible noise, and by having its sides flat it also affords a better surface for making the numbers or letters thereon, and for distinctly seeing the number or letter which it contains.

Having thus fully described 'my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The ring C, of hardened rubber, with its upper and lower surfaces made flat, and its outer edge rounded, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The game apparatus described, consisting of the ring 0 of hardened rubber, a series of numbered pins, B, and the portable perforated base, A, for the purposes set forth.

3. The game apparatus described, consisting of the hardened rubber ring C, provided with flat faces, rounded edges, and numbered or lettered on one or both its faces, and the numbered or lettered pins on the base A, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of July, 1874..

FRIEND W. SMITH. Witnesses HERMAN GAINS, RUDOLPH KosT. 

